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Hair loss is one of the most misunderstood conditions in medicine and one of the most aggressively marketed. This page cuts through the noise. You will find clear explanations of how and why hair loss happens, what the peer-reviewed clinical research actually shows about laser therapy, and what Australia's leading hair loss specialists say about the treatments we offer. No hype. No paid opinions. Just the science and the facts.
Male pattern baldness, also called androgenic alopecia, is the most common type of hair loss in men. More than 50 percent of all men over the age of 50 will be affected by male pattern baldness to some extent.
One cause of male pattern baldness is genetics, or having a family history of baldness. Research has found that male pattern baldness is associated with male sex hormones called androgens. The androgens have many functions, including regulating hair growth.
Each hair on your head has a growth cycle. With male pattern baldness, this growth cycle begins to weaken and the hair follicle shrinks, producing shorter and finer strands of hair. Eventually, the growth cycle for each hair ends and no new hair grows in its place.
Male pattern baldness, also called androgenetic alopecia, is one of the most common reasons men lose hair as they get older.
Women can also experience this type of hair loss, but it’s much less common.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is an androgen. An androgen is a sex hormone that contributes to the development of what are thought of as "male" sex characteristics, such as body hair. But it can also make you lose your hair faster and earlier.
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) shrinks genetically susceptible hair follicles, causing them to produce shorter, finer hairs over time. It is the main hormone behind androgenetic alopecia, or pattern hair loss, in both men and women.
DHT is made from testosterone by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. Both men and women produce testosterone and DHT, although men typically have higher levels. In people who are genetically susceptible, DHT binds to receptors in scalp hair follicles. This gradually causes the follicles to shrink, a process called miniaturisation, until some stop producing hair altogether.
Low-level laser therapy does not block or reduce DHT. It works by stimulating follicles that are still active, which is why it is often used alongside other treatments and why starting early matters.
Hair everywhere on your body grows out of structures underneath your skin known as follicles, which are essentially tiny capsules that each contain a single strand of hair.
The hair within a follicle typically goes through a growth cycle that lasts about two to six years. Even if you shave or cut your hair, the same hair will grow back out of the follicle from the root of the hair contained within the follicle.
At the end of this cycle, the hair enters what’s known as a resting phase before finally falling out a few months later. Then, the follicle produces a new hair, and the cycle begins again.
High levels of androgens, including DHT, can miniaturise your hair follicles as well as shorten this cycle, causing hair to grow out looking thinner and more brittle, as well as fall out faster. DHT can also make it take longer for your follicles to grow new hairs once old hairs fall out.
Some people are more susceptible to these effects of DHT on scalp hair based on variations in their androgen receptor (AR) gene. Androgen receptors are proteins that allow hormones like testosterone and DHT to bind to them. This binding activity typically results in normal hormonal processes like body hair growth.
But variations in the AR gene can increase androgen receptivity in your scalp follicles, making you more likely to experience male pattern hair loss.
Female pattern hair loss, also called androgenetic alopecia, is hair loss that affects women. It’s similar to male pattern baldness, except that women can lose their hair in a different pattern than men.
Hair loss in women is normal, especially as you age. Up to two- thirds of women experience hair loss after menopause. Fewer than half of women will reach age 65 with a full head of hair.
Female pattern hair loss is hereditary. It’s more common after menopause, so hormones are likely responsible. If you notice that you’re losing hair, see your doctor or a dermatologist. They will be able to determine if you’re experiencing female pattern baldness or another type of hair loss.
The sooner you get treated, the faster you’ll be able to stop the loss, and possibly even regrow hair.
In female pattern hair loss, the hair’s growing phase slows down. It also takes longer for new hair to begin growing. Hair follicles shrink, leading the hair that does grow to be thinner and finer. This can result in hair that easily breaks.
It’s normal for women to lose 50 to 100 hairs each day, but those with female pattern baldness can lose many more.
In men, hair loss starts in the front of the head and recedes to the back until they go bald. Women lose hair from all over their head, starting at their part line. Hair at the temples may also recede.
Women are less likely to go completely bald, but you may have a lot of thinning throughout your hair.
Doctors divide female pattern baldness into three types:
Type I is a small amount of thinning that starts around your part. Type II involves widening of the part, and increased thinning around it.Type III is thinning throughout, with a see-through area at the top of your scalp.
Hair loss is passed down from parents to their children, and many different genes are involved. You can inherit these genes from either parent. You’re more likely to have female pattern hair loss if your mother, father, or other close relatives have experienced hair loss.
Female pattern hair loss is the most common cause of thinning in women. It is largely hereditary, and many women first notice it during perimenopause, becoming more common after menopause. Most women with female pattern hair loss have normal hormone levels. Less commonly, an underlying condition such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) raises androgen levels and contributes to hair loss.
Not all hair loss in women is pattern hair loss. Sudden, heavy shedding is often a separate condition called telogen effluvium. It typically appears a few months after the body goes through a significant change, such as after childbirth (postpartum), stopping the contraceptive pill, illness or surgery, major emotional stress, low iron or thyroid problems.
Telogen effluvium usually settles once the cause is addressed. Repeated episodes can sometimes develop into female pattern hair loss, and the two can occur together, which is why an accurate assessment matters before starting any treatment.
See your doctor if your hair loss comes with irregular periods, acne, or increased body or facial hair. They may recommend blood tests to check your hormone levels, iron and thyroid function.
Not sure which type you have? Our specialists offer free consultations and will tell you honestly if a laser cap is not the right fit.
Yes, but the key word is early. The treatments with the strongest clinical track record are low-level laser therapy (LLLT), minoxidil, and for some women, hormone therapy under medical guidance. LLLT works by stimulating cellular activity in hair follicles that have gone dormant. It does not create new follicles from scratch. What it does is reactivate follicles that have shrunk but have not yet died, which is exactly why starting earlier produces better outcomes. Grow Laser Cap is FDA cleared and operates at clinically validated wavelengths for both men and women. If you are unsure which treatment suits your pattern of loss, our specialists offer free consultations and there is no obligation to buy.
Photobiomodulation, also called Low level laser therapy (LLLT), has been building a clinical evidence base for decades. The FDA cleared the first laser device for hair loss treatment back in 2007. Since then, the quality and volume of the research has grown substantially. Multiple peer-reviewed studies, including work published through Harvard Medical School and indexed in PubMed's biomedical literature database, support LLLT as a clinically effective, non-invasive treatment for androgenetic alopecia in both men and women. Grow Laser Cap is FDA cleared and operates at clinically validated wavelengths. Here is what the research shows.
When specific wavelengths of light, primarily 650nm red light and 808nm near-infrared light, penetrate the scalp, they are absorbed by the mitochondria in hair follicle cells. This triggers an increase in ATP production, which is the cell's primary energy source. The result is improved cellular metabolism, reduced inflammation around the follicle, and stimulation of the hair growth cycle. Specifically, follicles are pushed from the resting phase (telogen) back into the active growth phase (anagen). In plain terms, laser therapy works by stimulating follicles that are still biologically active but have miniaturised over time, a process driven by DHT in both men and women. Once a follicle has miniaturised past the point of no return, no non-surgical treatment can reactivate it. This is why earlier treatment consistently produces better results. [1]
Harvard Medical School
A clinical study supported by Harvard Medical School examined the cellular mechanisms of photobiomodulation in hair follicles. The research confirmed that low level laser light at therapeutic wavelengths directly stimulates mitochondrial activity in follicular cells. This is the documented biological mechanism behind why LLLT works. Not a theory but verified cellular biology. [1]
Low-Level Laser (Light) Therapy (LLLT) for Treatment of Hair Loss (Avci et al., 2014, Harvard DASH)
PubMed Biomedical Literature
A peer-reviewed study indexed in PubMed examined LLLT efficacy across multiple clinical trials for androgenetic alopecia. Patients using FDA-cleared laser devices showed statistically significant increases in hair density and thickness compared to controls. The conclusion was that LLLT is a safe and effective treatment for both male and female pattern hair loss. [2]
The FDA is the United States food and drug administration and its clearance process for medical devices is one of the most rigorous in the world. For a laser cap to be FDA cleared, it has to meet a defined standard for safety and effectiveness. A lot of laser caps sold online, particularly cheaper imports, have never been through that process. Grow Laser Cap is FDA cleared. When you are comparing devices, that is the first thing to check.
| Specialist recommended Grow ProFlex 302 302 medical grade laser diodes · 650nm | HairMax PowerFlex 272 272 laser diodes · 655nm | iRestore Professional 82 laser diodes + 200 LEDs · 655nm | Capillus Pro 272 laser diodes · 650nm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDA cleared | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Total diodes | 302 medical grade laser diodes | 272 laser diodes | 282 total (82 laser + 200 LEDs) | 272 laser diodes |
| Wavelengths | 650nm | 655nm | 655nm | 650nm |
| Session time | 6 mins | 7 mins | 25 mins | 6 mins |
| Full scalp coverage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Medical grade laser diodes only (no LEDs) | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| AU/NZ specialist support | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Satisfaction guarantee | 12 months | Not stated | 12 months | Not stated |
| Price beat guarantee | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Specifications sourced from manufacturer websites, June 2026. Always verify current specifications directly with each manufacturer.
Diode count is one of the most important variables when comparing laser caps, and also one of the most misrepresented. More diodes means more scalp coverage and more consistent light delivery across the treatment zone. The minimum threshold our specialists consider clinically meaningful is 272 diodes, which is why our price beat guarantee applies at that level.
The ProFlex 302 delivers 302 medical grade laser diodes at 650nm, the core clinically validated wavelength, in a six-minute daily session. It is the device our specialists most commonly recommend for people starting LLLT for the first time. For those who want the most advanced option available, the DualWave 312 steps up to 312 medical grade diodes across two wavelengths, 650nm and 808nm, in the same six-minute daily session.
If you have questions about which device suits your pattern of loss, or you want to talk through the research in more detail, our hair loss specialists are available by phone or video. You will speak to a real specialist, not a chatbot or a general customer service rep.
Australia:1800 880 160
New Zealand:0800 020 055
1. Avci P, Gupta GK, Clark J, Wikonkal N, Hamblin MR. Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) for treatment of hair loss. Lasers Surg Med. 2014 Feb;46(2):144-151. Available via Harvard DASH Repository: https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/12152951/3986893.pdf
2. Liu KH, Liu D, Chen YT, Chin SY. Comparative effectiveness of low-level laser therapy for adult androgenic alopecia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Lasers Med Sci. 2019 Aug;34(6):1063-1069. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30706177/
